Today in Pueblo, the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) was supposed to be coming to the courthouse to protest the legalization of marijuana and gay marriage here in Colorado. Some of my friends here in town decided to organize a protest against the protest, and over the course of organization, it became not a protest but a celebration of love. They decided to go positive instead of negative, to put out good vibes, charity, acceptance and overall goodwill.

I planned to go, but this morning I woke up slowly after not much sleep and just couldn’t get myself going. It also started to snow, and I’m just a wimp when it comes to driving in snow. I know, excuses, excuses.

So, around the time the group was going to gather at the courthouse, I decided to do a meditation. I didn’t have any particular purpose in mind, I just thought I would sit for 15 minutes and focus my energy on what they were doing.

I’ve also been reading a wonderful book called “Seven Sacred Pauses” and there is a reading in it, a quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke, which says, in part, “I yearn to be held in the great hands of your heart…” I thought about that. I thought about the heart chakra and trying to open it up, not just for this event but for everything else that’s going on in my life right now. If you accept the premise that we are, above everything, beings comprised of energy, then our hearts become infinite, able to accept the world, if not the entire universe into them. I tried to envision my heart, living and beating, but opening up, literally expanding outward to wrap itself around me, my house, the neighborhood, the courthouse where my friends were, the protestors on the “other side,” all of it. Everything. Every one. I realized I had the capacity to hug the world in my heart, to accept all of it, as flawed and often ugly as it is, but also the amazing beauty that abounds but that we often forget to look for.

So, I sat for a quarter of an hour and hugged the world. It felt good. It didn’t feel like a strain at all. Maybe that will be one of my New Year’s resolutions–a good hug for the world every few days. I can’t say that it will or won’t help the any of the things that are going on “out there” these days, but I think it will help me a lot.

Happy New Year!

Oh! The WBC? Well, according to a friend, a few (4-5) of them showed up, but left shortly after about 50 “protestors” walked past them, singing and enjoying the others’ company, as if they weren’t even there. Sweet!

That’s a wonderful way to join in the positive demonstration!
Only love can conquer hate . . .
I’ve been at events and with people target by WBC. I feel so sorry for them, and the limits of their sad and negative lives.
Hugs to you!